Amid Onam supply gap, looms of Chendamangalam call for a tech update
The traditional weavers of the famed handloom industry, in and around Chendamangalam village in North Paravur taluk of Ernakulam district, say the demand during the Onam season has been encouraging, though the cooperative-based sector finds it difficult to supply enough
As Onam approaches, the weavers of Chendamangalam face a looming supply gap in the traditional handloom industry. Despite an encouraging demand during the festive season, the cooperative-based sector struggles to meet the necessary production levels. The dwindling workforce, with only around 400 handloom weavers remaining in the Paravur region compared to over 4,000 a few decades ago, is a cause for concern.
Rajeev P.P., president of a handloom society, urges the industry to adopt modern technologies to improve production while attracting a new generation of workers. The aging workforce, with most weavers above 50 years of age, faces challenges in retaining young talent due to low wages and the lack of appeal in the job. T.S. Baby, State executive member of the Kerala Kaithari Council, suggests increasing the daily wage for skilled workers from around ₹350 to ₹1,000-1,200 to make the industry more attractive.
The weavers have started embracing e-commerce and social media marketing, recognizing the potential to reach a wider audience. However, they acknowledge the need for advanced training in production and marketing to sustain their traditional uniqueness and improve the industry's fortunes.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
